I need the help of your imagination to create a nice interface for my computer science final projet: a 3d first person shooter where you learn japanese (by shooting the right answers...!!).

Basically, I want to give the interface (or the HUD) a Japanese look. This is an example of what I need to fill:

(hoping the hosting will work)

I don't really want to draw a gun on the right side like you would exept in a normal FPS (it's really non-violent). So I feel like it's empty right now... What kind of writing / infos I could put there?

Also, if you have any suggestion on the gameplay, go ahead. Basically, there is a question over the head of the ennemies and multiple possible answers on the torso. You aim and shoot the right one. What could I add for variety and additionnal learning? I'm thinking about bonuses... Would there be a neat way to integrate vocabulary learning somewhere in there?

More than a gun with shooting, I think that a typing game, ala House of the Dead would be really good. In the FPS, I don't know if my shooting finger is good enough to hit a correct answer on a zombie running at me. They'd have to be pretty damn big.

As for a weapon, nothing says learning Japanese like a big sumi brush.

Edit: You should also scale down that image some. It's freaking huge.

Last edited by Harisenbon on Wed 07.06.2005 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

building on what harisenbon said, most people arent going to be able to
accurately shoot the correct answer. People are going to have a hard enough time picking the right answer, nonetheless aiming for it.

Anyway, my idea was to make the game not too fast and the answers big enough so that the game would be balanced, ie. one part gaming, one part playing, both about as important. Here's a simple photoshoped prototype of what I mean:

I'm an ex-counter-striker and by experience, I can say that I would have no problem aiming and shooting down one of these circle (note the smaller red circle in the middle: bonus points)

The sumi brush is a great idea! I'll see if I can find a model... Also, about the interface, what kind of Japanese writings I could draw? Health? Points so far? What more?

Thanks again. Designing is the most important part

Last edited by aoeuaoeuaoeu on Thu 07.07.2005 8:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

I think you're underestimating your audience however. Post your question again on gamasutra.com 's messageboards which is a web site that caters to game designers and game industry insiders in general.